Patient Precautions and Infection Control

Vocabulary flashcards defining the key terms, isolation types, and precautions covered in the patient care and infection control lecture.

Standard Precautions

Infection prevention practices applied universally to every patient regardless of illness or microbial risk, covering contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions (except sweat), non-intact skin, and mucous membranes.

Clostridium difficile (C. Diff)

An infection requiring Contact Plus precautions, handwashing specifically with soap and water, and cleaning with bleach wipes.

Soap and Water

The required hand hygiene method used when hands are visibly soiled or when caring for a patient with C. Diff infection.

Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer

The hand hygiene product used when a healthcare provider's hands are not visibly soiled or contaminated.

Artificial Fingernails

Nail items that healthcare workers must avoid wearing because they increase the likelihood of infection.

Airborne Precautions

Isolation precautions used for conditions like measles, chicken pox, disseminated B zoster, or tuberculosis, requiring a private room, negative pressure, HEPA filtration, and an N95 mask.

Negative Pressure Room

A specialized room air filtration system used for airborne precautions that only functions as a closed system when the room door remains closed at all times.

N95 Mask

A fit-tested respirator mask required for airborne precautions that provides increased protection to healthcare workers.

Droplet Precautions

Isolation precautions used for viral respiratory infections such as flu, strep, pertussis, pneumonia, rubella, mumps, and RSV, requiring a surgical mask and standard precautions.

Contact Precautions

Infection control measures used for organisms such as MRSA, herpes simplex, scabies, and VRE, requiring gloves, a gown, standard precautions, and room-dedicated equipment.

Contact Plus Precautions

Enhanced contact precautions required for C. Diff, requiring gown and gloves, cleaning with bleach wipes, and handwashing with soap and water rather than hand sanitizer.

Protective Environments

Also called neutropenic precautions, these measures protect immunocompromised patients (such as transplant or cancer patients) using a private room with positive airflow, HEPA filtration, PPE, and prohibition of fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, or potted plants.

Positive Airflow Room

A specialized room system with HEPA filtration used in protective environments to protect immune-compromised patients from infection risks posed by visitors or personnel.